Frame for assisting in designing and measuring lamp shades



Nov. 20, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1950 Nov. 20, 1951 v. M. HARLOW 2,575,625

FRAME FOR ASSISTING IN DESIGNING AND MEASURING LAMP SHADES Filed Jan. 14, 1950 2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2 as a? finPawv/a W 15 2210 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRAMEEORASSISTING IN-.DESIGNINGJAND1 MEASURING LAMP SHADES Virginia-M; Harlow, New York,,N. Y.

ApplicationJanuary 14, 1950, Serial'Nm138fi2Q;

7 4 Claims; 1

The invention herein disclosed is a device for measuring, planning anddesigning lamp shades.

Objects of the invention are to provide a practical form of frame construction capable of being extended and contracted in various ways to outline diiferent sizes and shapes of lamp shades.

Particularly it is a purpose of'the invention to provide apparatus of this character, of simple, inexpensive and easily adjusted construction and which will be capable of use for designing'and' planning lam shades of many different styles andfor'ms.

Further special objects of. the invention are to provide the apparatus in the form of a frame in the general resemblance of'a lampshade'frame' and made up of adjustably" related components which in themselves will be adj usta'ble independ ently of'other components;

Other desirable objects attained by theinvention are set forth or will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of'the specification illustratecer't'ain present prac'-- tic'al embodiments of the invention. Structure; however, may be modifiedandchanged'asregardsthe immediate illustration, all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 in the drawingsisa plan View of one of the-adjustable lamp shadeframeworks with parts broken-and appearing in sectio'n';

Fig. 2 is a broken vertical sectional view taken on substantially the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. I and showing particularly one of the extensible struts or stays connecting the upper and lower rings-of the frame;

Fig. ais'a sideelevation of the-frame;

Fig. 4 is a broken part-sectionaltdetail showing-i the adjustable? center support;

Fig: 5 is a broken and part sectional; plan view showing the frame partly extended;

Fig; 6 is a broken" and vertical sectional view showing. the frame with ring connecting struts extensible at both ends Fig; '7 is a brokensideelevation showing a form of construction for mounting the frame on abowl 0r canopy form of shade construction.

As shown partioularly'in- Figs; 1-, 2- and 3-, the framework is made up of upper and lower adiustablering orhoop members S! and to con-- nected at intervalsbyextensible stays orstru-ts H, and radially extensible arms; l2. connected With:thetop ringv and carrying a center. support l3;

These several elements are. made up for the most partof telescopically engaged, oversliding. tubes and wire parts.

Thus the ringsare shown as composed of segrmental tubular sections; l4 inwhichare slidably, held segmentalwire-sections l5 and the upright struts II are shown.- as-made up of straight tubular members lfi having wires I! slidingly engaged therein.

The upright tubes it are shown as having angularly disposed sleeves. l8 at=the upper ends. of the same rotatably engagedv over. the wire segments. |.5 of. the upper ring, and-the wires l1 are shown as having similarsleeves. l9 at the lower. ends rotatably engaged over the wir segments. l5 oflthe lower rings. 7

In the illustration thev stays. are swiveled at 18 over the segmental wires [5: at. points between the ends of the tube. segments. I 4. This. keeps the-size of the. swivel sleeves l8 downt'o small" diameter but it is contemplatedthatthes'e sleeves may be swiveled over the tubular sections l4; or some of the. staysmay be swiveled over the wires. and others over the tubular sections, the arrangementv selected being determined to some extent. by the number of stays. employed, and consequently the numberof segments of. the wires and} tubes.

The radial arms I2. forming the spider structure for the upper ring. or. hoop are shown asextensible. and contractible by having straight tube sections 20 secured in radial relation to the. tube segments l4 and wire or rod sections 2f sliding: in. these. tube sections and. secured to the. central supporting ring orv collar l3.

Theconstructiondtescribed provides practically a universally adjustable frame; The upper and; lower ringscan be adjusted tolarger andvsmaller; diameters independently of each other and these independently adjustable rings. can be approached; or separated from each other by collapsing on extending the telescopically adjustable side struts H.

The telescopically constructed spider arms permit free adjustment of. the upper ring while. maintaining, the center support l3 at the center ofthe frame in all adjustments of thepartsr To provide some measure and indication of the adjustments, the telescopically related parts may have graduations or size markings thereon.

The inner sliding rod elements are shown as having notches 22 which may be spaced at quarter inch, half inch, or other selected distances convenient for measuring or indicating purposes. These notches may indicate size by the number of them exposed at the ends of the tubular members, or size markings may be applied to the wires or other parts where they can be readily seen for different size adjustments.

While the oversliding parts may normally hold by reason of their frictional engagement, it may be desirable to have them yieldingly retained in their positions of adjustment. The latter effect is attained in the present disclosure by indenting the tubular members as indicated at 23, to yieldingly grip the notches 22 in the enclosed sliding wire members.

To provide height adjustment the central supporting collar [3 may be internally screw threaded as indicated at 24, to receive a correspondingly screw threaded, tubular height determining sleeve or sleeve sections such as shown at 25, Fig. 4.- While different length supporting tubes 25 may be provided, it is considered that all necessary height adjustments may best be effected by providing a number of relatively short tube sections, any selected number of which may be screwed together to raise the framework to the desired level, supported by said tube section on alamp globe or other support.

Fig. 6 shows how greater extension of the side struts may be effected by interposing between the companion tube and wire elements It, H, a coupling or extension sleeve 26 sliding over the tube H3 at one end and reduced at the opposite end at 2! to slide over the wire H.

The frame may be used for all kinds and sizes of lamp shades and for all the various ways in which lamp shades are usually supported. The top, spider form of support shown, and particularly with the height adjustment feature, may be suitable for most purposes.

Fig. 7 shows how the framework may be mounted on a bowl or canopy type of lamp by providing an adjustable cross bar 28 adapted to rest on the rim of a canopy such as indicated at 29. This cross bar is shown as made up of telescopically engaged tube and rod members 39, 3|, pivotally connected at their ends at 32, 33, with sleeves 34, 35, vertically slidable over the side struts H and secured in vertically adjusted relation as by wing nuts or set screws 36. By adjusting this bar up or down and securing it in different positions on the struts, the frame may be supported at different levels on a lamp fixture of the canopy type to produce different lamp shade effects.

Adjustment of the frame to different sizes and shapes is easily effected by simply pulling and pushing on the telescopically related elements of the various units, and the markings on these units provide a desired index of size while such adjustments are being effected. The construction is relatively simple and inexpensive and the various parts can be made up of standard tubing and wire or rod.

The frame, constructed as disclosed, with slip joint and swivel connections provides a flexible form of smooth contour, free of projections and adapted to serve as a support for shaping the various kinds of shade materials usually employed, suchas silk, satin, plastic, parchment, paper and the like. By its substantiallt universal 4 adjustability the invention provides a frame which can be molded to different sizes and shapes for draping different lamp shade materials thereover to obtain desired lamp shade effects.

While a circular type of framework has been disclosed, the invention contemplates various kinds of shapes such as oval, square and various angular formations. The number, size and shape of the segments forming the rings or hoops, and the number, length and extensibility of the stays or struts accordingly may be varied to suit these different requirements.

The oversliding tube and wire elements constituting the frame may be of flexible or springy material to further provide for and facilitate the various adjustments described. While these elements ordinarily may be of metal, it is contemplated that they may be of other materials such as plastic and the like.

What is claimed is:

l. A frame for aiding the design of lamp shades, substantially universally adjustable as to size and shape and comprising top and bottom rings composed of telescopically engaged segmental wires and tubes and longitudinally extensible and contractible struts connecting said rings in variously spaced relation and composed of telescopically engaged, straight rod and tube sections having transverse sleeves at the ends of the same swiveled on the segmental rods of the rings between the segmental tubes of said rings and thereby spaced circumferentially of said rings.

2. A frame for aiding the design of lamp shades, substantially universally adjustable as to size and shape and comprising top and bottom rings composed of telescopically engaged segmental wires and tubes and longitudinally extensible and contractible struts connecting said rings in variously spaced relation and composed of telescopically engaged, straight rod and tube sections having transverse sleeves at the ends of the same swiveled on the segmental rods of the rings between the segmental tubes of said rings and thereby spaced circumferentially of said rings, and a spider connected with the top ring and composed of longitudinally adjustable, telescopically connected, straight rods and tubes secured in radial relation to the segmental tubes of said top ring.

3. A frame for aiding the design of lamp shades, substantially universally adjustable as to size and shape and comprising top and bottom rings composed of telescopically engaged segmental wires and tubes and longitudinally extensible and contractible struts connecting said rings in variously spaced relation and composed of telescopically engaged, straight rod and tube sections having transverse sleeves at the ends of the same swiveled on the segmental rods of the rings between the segmental tubes of said rings and thereby spaced circumferentially of said rings, a spider connected with the top ring and composed of longitudinally adjustable, telescopi= cally connected, straight rods and tubes secured in radial relation to the segmental tubes of said top ring, and a central supporting post of verti cally adjustable extent removably connected with said spider.

4. A frame for aiding the design of lamp shades, substantially universally adjustable as to size and shape and comprising top and bottom rings composed of telescopically engaged segmental wires and tubes and longitudinally extenawaaa 6 sible and contractible struts connecting said rings UNITED STATES PATENTS in variously spaced relation and composed of tele- Number Name Date scopically engaged, straight rod and tube sections 648 576 Taylor May 1 1900 having transverse sleeves at the ends of the same 1 319092 001. 1919 swiveled on the segmental rods of the rings be- 5 1727859 Caldwell Sept. 1929 tween the segmental tubes of said rings and 1926'052 Lumley Sept 1933 thereby spaced circumferentially of said rings, and a cross bar of telescopically engaged, FOREIGN PATENTS straight rod and tube sections having sleeves at Number Country t the ends of the same slidingly engaged over onm 12,413 England 1903 positely di pose tr 101,713 Germany Feb. 27, 1899 VIRGINIA M. HARLOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent: 

